Apple amends designs for Boston flagship shop

After two months of delays, Apple Computer today presented several building designs for its first Boston, Mass. flagship retail store at a hearing before the Back Bay Architectural Commission, reports Boston.com.

The Cupertino, Calif.-based Mac maker is looking to demolish a small building at 815 Boylston St. and replace it with a new structure that features a glass façade, according to the report.

At an advisory meeting in March, Apple faced some opposition from commissioners who suggested the company replicate or preserve the existing façade.

"In its latest filings to the city, Apple has proposed several designs that would add vertical columns and divide the façade in nine sections," according to Boston.com.

Apple is said to have delayed its previous two hearings because it wasn't completely ready to present its new designs. "They spend a lot of time with these signature stores, and they don't rush into anything," said Stephen V. Miller of McDermott of Quilty & Miller LLP, a Boston firm representing the Mac maker.

Apple's current proposal calls for the existing 16,587-square-foot building to be razed and replaced by a new structure with a full basement that measures about 22,116 square feet.

In all, the company wants to build three retail floors with a glass spiral staircase in the center of the store; the basement will reportedly be reserved for support services and equipment.

Gods of Procedural Bureaucracy -- may you please makes this project happen, and soon!

As a Boston resident living mere minutes away from the proposed location, I fully support Apple. The current building they want to demolish is a water-damaged, ugly-ass, piece-of-shit dump from the early 20th century, with no architectural significance, presently hosting a Copy Cop. And there's a FedEx Kinko's halfway down the street at Copley, so it's not like eliminating this location would do anyone any disservice.

The location is near the Prudential Center, and right across the street from where they're building the luxury, fancy-schmancy Madarin Oriental hotel/residences, which virtually guarantees that people with deep pockets will be streaming into the store at all hours of the day -- that is, when we college students are done hoarding the glass spiral staircase.

One third of Boston's entire population is made up of hip, young college students who want iPods and MacBooks and whatnot. This city was practically erected for an Apple Store to grace it.

Build it! Now! PLEASE!!

They say you can't fight City Hall, and Mayor Menino was very enthusiastic about this proposed store -- I hope to the Lords of Kobol that City Hall will tell the losers at the Back Bay Architectural Commission where they can stick it.

Originally posted by m01etyGods of Procedural Bureaucracy -- may you please makes this project happen, and soon!

As a Boston resident living mere minutes away from the proposed location, I fully support Apple. The current building they want to demolish is a water-damaged, ugly-ass, piece-of-shit dump from the early 20th century, with no architectural significance, presently hosting a Copy Cop. And there's a FedEx Kinko's halfway down the street at Copley, so it's not like eliminating this location would do anyone any disservice.

I was about to say the same thing. Apple is not trying to tear down a gorgeous, old, historic building. It is a hideous, dilapidated Copy Cop!! As it is, it is a complete eyesore. ANYTHING Apple could do would be a billion times improvement.

Indeed! And according to today's Boston Globe (a follow-up story to yesterday's article, which gave birth to this AI news entry), Apple has conditional approval!

They get to demolish, and the new design is in the right direction. While further changes are still required, it looks like this is happening! Yay!

It will have a suspended, glowing Apple logo, like the glass cube in NYC, a spiral glass staircase (which, to me, implies a glass elevator as well, although this was not explicitly stated)... And Apple may be considering making this another 24/365 store, it seems.